5 Best Floor Workouts for Faster Weight Loss
Achieving weight-loss goals doesn't always require benches, racks, or standing positions. Floor-emphasized workouts offer numerous benefits, and with some effort and creativity, every workout will bring you closer to your goals. That's why I'm here to share five of my best floor workouts for faster weight loss to help you speed up your progress.
When looking for effective weight-loss methods, it's essential to incorporate various exercises targeting different fitness aspects. Strength training boosts your lifting capacity, hypertrophy increases lean muscle mass and metabolism, while cardio enhances fat-burning capabilities.
Whether you're new to fitness or a seasoned workout veteran, I created five of the best floor workouts for you to try below. Each routine includes upper body, lower body, and core-emphasized movements, ensuring a full-body focus that enhances strength lean muscle mass, and boosts metabolism. I also varied the methods, ensuring diversity in the targeted muscle groups and the workout techniques.
Gear up for the five best floor workouts for faster weight loss. Read on to learn more.
Workout #1: Hypertrophy for Weight Loss
Hypertrophy is about increasing lean muscle mass, which boosts your metabolism and enhances body composition by burning more calories efficiently. Building muscle early in your fitness journey lays a solid foundation for long-term success.
1. Dumbbell Floor Press with Glute Bridge
The floor press combined with the glute bridge forms a challenging and effective exercise that promotes muscle growth and boosts your metabolism. You'll engage your chest, shoulders, and triceps with the floor press while the glute bridge concurrently engages your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips into a glute bridge position. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level and perform a chest press, lowering the dumbbells to your shoulders and pressing them straight up while keeping the glute bridge hold. Perform three sets of 8 to 15 reps with 90 seconds of rest between sets.
2. Bear Hold with Rows
Bear holds challenge your ability to engage your entire body—especially the hips and core. Then, you'll challenge your back strength by performing alternating rows and developing lean muscle in your upper back and lats.
Maintain a tabletop position with your knees bent, your hands under your shoulders, and your core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward. Alternate rowing one dumbbell toward your ribcage while stabilizing your body. Complete three sets of 8 to 12 reps per side with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
3. Leg Lowerings
Leg lowerings are effective for sculpting your midsection and developing a set of solid abs. The key is to use a slow lowering as you return your legs to the floor, squeezing your abs.
To execute leg lowerings, lie on your back and lift your legs toward the ceiling. Then, slowly lower them while engaging your core. Pause before lifting them back up. Complete three sets of 10 to 15 reps with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Workout #2: Strength for Weight Loss
Strength may not be the first thing that comes to mind in a weight-loss journey, but it plays a crucial role, mainly when performed effectively. Despite the lower rep count in this workout, its intensity spikes with challenging movements, significantly enhancing caloric burn.
1. Pushups with Shoulder Taps
Pushups with shoulder taps are effective for weight loss as a floor exercise due to their ability to engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. This compound movement elevates your heart rate and increases calorie expenditure, promoting fat burning. Additionally, including shoulder taps adds an extra challenge, requiring stability and coordination, which further boosts the intensity.
Start in a high plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your body forming a straight line. Lower your body toward the ground by bending your elbows, then push back up to the starting position. At the top of the pushup, stabilize your body, and lift one hand off the ground to tap the opposite shoulder. Return the hand to the ground, and perform another pushup, alternating shoulder taps with each repetition. Knock out three sets of six to 10 reps with 60 seconds of rest between sets. Count each pushup as one rep.
2. Glute Bridge Walkouts
Glute bridge walkouts are a powerhouse for activating your glutes and intensifying the challenge for your hamstrings as you extend further from the starting position. This dynamic combination of intensity and muscle engagement makes it a highly effective exercise for sculpting your lower body and aiding in weight loss.
Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips into a bridge position, and slowly walk your feet away from your body, extending one leg at a time while maintaining the bridge. Continue until your legs are almost straight, then reverse the movement by walking your feet back toward your body. Lower your hips to the ground to complete one repetition. Complete three sets of four to eight steps per side with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
3. Alternating Dead Bugs
Alternating dead bugs engage your core and hip stabilizers in a dynamic workout. Strengthening your core and enhancing stability, this exercise not only defines your abs but also boosts weight loss capabilities, augmenting other exercises in your routine.
To execute alternating dead bugs, lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Lower your right arm and left leg simultaneously toward the floor, keeping your lower back pressed against the ground. Alternate sides, maintaining control and engaging your core throughout. Perform three sets of eight to 12 reps per side with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Workout #3: High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating between high-effort rounds of movement and short rest periods, keeping your heart rate and metabolism elevated. This unmatched effort and practical exercises ensure that any HIIT workout is highly effective in helping you achieve your weight-loss goals.
1. Squat-to-Lunge
The squat-to-lunge exercise blends the strength-building benefits of squats with the unilateral advantages of lunges. By engaging in both lower-body exercises, this compound movement intensifies your metabolism and effectively enhances weight loss-oriented workouts.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Lower into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, maintaining a straight back and an upright chest. Return to the starting position, and step forward with one foot into a lunge position. Push back to standing by pressing through your front foot. Alternate legs, and repeat. Knock out three rounds in 45 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
2. Gorilla Rows
Gorilla rows are one of the most effective exercises for cultivating a robust back, mainly targeting the lats and upper back muscles. Rowing dumbbells or kettlebells directly from the ground demands core stabilization while thoroughly engaging the back muscles. This exercise is potent and highly efficient in supporting your weight-loss goals.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hinge at the hips to lower your torso until nearly parallel to the ground, keeping your back straight. Hold dumbbells or kettlebells in each hand position on the floor, ensuring they're placed directly under your shoulders. Pull the weights toward your sides, driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lower the weights with control to complete a repetition. Knock out three rounds in 45 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
3. Plank with Pull-throughs
Plank pull-throughs engage multiple muscle groups, including the core, shoulders, and arms, boosting metabolism through increased calorie expenditure. This compound movement enhances fat burning and promotes metabolic rate enhancement, making it an efficient addition to any workout routine.
Begin in a plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your body straight. Place a weight beside you, then reach under with the opposite hand to grab it. Pull the weight across your body to the other side while maintaining stability. Knock out three rounds in 45 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Workout #4: Full-Body Focused
Full-body workouts optimize weight loss by targeting nearly every muscle group, ensuring a comprehensive exercise routine. Engaging multiple muscles simultaneously effectively boosts fat burning and maintains elevated metabolism levels.
1. Yoga Pushups
Yoga pushups are a powerful tool for weight loss as they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including the chest, shoulders, arms, and core. This compound movement not only boosts heart rate and calorie expenditure, facilitating fat burning, but also enhances flexibility, balance, and overall body strength. These benefits are crucial for supporting an active lifestyle conducive to achieving weight loss goals.
To perform yoga pushups, begin in a plank position, lower your chest toward the ground, then push back up. Transition into a downward-facing dog by pressing hips up, then return to plank. Knock out three sets of 12 to 15 reps with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
2. Split Squats
Split squats keep you anchored to the floor, precisely targeting your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. By emphasizing core engagement and maintaining continuous reps, you can maximize the metabolic impact of this potent lower-body exercise.
Step your left foot forward and your right foot back to set up. Next, lower your right knee, keeping your left shin vertical until it almost touches the floor. Push through your front foot to return to the starting position. Complete all reps on one side before switching. Perform three sets of 15 to 20 reps per side.
2. Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches provide an intensive and dynamic workout for your abs, effectively sculpting your midsection. Focus on engaging your abs and squeezing them as you alternate from side to side for optimal results.
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, your legs lifted off the ground, and your knees bent. Bring your right elbow and left knee together while straightening your right leg, then alternate by bringing your left elbow and right knee together while straightening your left leg. Perform three rounds of 30 to 60 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Workout #5: Cardio Core Blaster
1. Plank Jacks
Experience an ultimate core challenge with plank jacks—a dynamic twist on traditional planks. This exercise enhances core strength, shoulder stability, and adductor strength while elevating intensity to boost metabolism.
Start in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight from your head to your heels, and engage your core. Jump both feet out to the sides while maintaining the plank. Quickly return your feet together. Repeat, keeping a steady rhythm and your core engaged. Knock out three rounds of 45 to 60 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
2. Cross-Body Mountain Climbers
Cross-body mountain climbers amplify your fat-burning potential, delivering an intense, effective, and challenging workout. While traditional mountain climbers are demanding, cross-body mountain climbers take it up a notch, providing an even more significant challenge.
To execute cross-body mountain climbers, start in a high plank position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your body straight. Engage your core, and bring your right knee toward your left elbow, then quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee toward your right elbow. Alternate legs in a smooth, controlled motion, maintaining a steady pace. Complete three sets of 15 to 20 reps per side with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
3. V-ups
V-ups enhance weight loss as a floor exercise by engaging multiple muscle groups, including the core and hip flexors, to increase calorie expenditure and promote fat burning. Their dynamic nature also elevates the heart rate, contributing to greater cardiovascular benefits and calorie deficit essential for weight loss.
Start by lying flat on your back with your arms extended overhead and your legs straight. Engage your core as you lift your legs and torso off the ground, reaching your hands toward your feet, forming a "V." Aim to touch your toes or shins with your hands, then slowly lower back down to the starting position. Perform three rounds of 30 seconds with 60 seconds of rest between sets.
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